1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digging teeth for ground engaging equipment such as excavator buckets and earth moving shovels. More particularly it relates to a type of digging tooth and bucket lip engagement and support construction wherein the bucket teeth, rather than being inserted into receptacles formed in the bucket lip, surround the bucket lip and clamp on to it to provide structural support for it.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large earth excavators are now primarily constructed in two basic different forms. One is a large digging wheel from 50 to 100 feet in diameter having enormous excavator buckets secured to the rim of the wheel. The forward edge of the buckets are provided with replaceable digging teeth which are secured into receptacles which are disposed on the cutting edge of the bucket lip. The digging teeth are provided with a shank or stub which is inserted into holes which are formed in the front edge or lip of the bucket and are held therein by means of a removable locking pin.
The problem with these large excavator buckets is that they are extremely expensive to construct. The bucket is built up from forged pieces and sheet metal to create the elaborate yet rugged structure required to hold and support the digging teeth. The present invention permits a welded flat plate metal construction of the excavator bucket by providing additional structural support through the teeth which rather than being inserted in the bucket lip are provided with a support structure which surrounds and clamps onto the leading edge of the bucket lip where the teeth are secured to the bucket to provide additional structural support to the basic construction of the bucket.